AFROBEAT FAMILY

Apart from Femi Kuti and his group Positive Force and Seun Kuti and the Egypt 80 who through their musical exploits can be regarded as inheritors of the Fela phenomenon, we in Radio Shrine are convinced that the term ‘Afrobeat Family’ today should be extended not only to groups that mirrors and carries on the tradition and musical style created by Africa’s late activist and musical icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, but also to include those who through their exploits are identifying with the Fela struggle and legacy of protest music.

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To the unsuspecting mind this song’s title represents a homage to military ‘heroes’, in keeping with world-wide tradition of erecting statues in memory of soldiers who lost their lives in wars. While Fela in his lifetime cannot be described as ‘a good bed-fellow’ of military orientation and approach (...)

Fela, phenomenon and legacy, is an attempt to shed light from a personal experience and knowledge of the phenomenon that was Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. This impressive and rich experience started in 1974 after my high school graduation. I wanted to go study philosophy at the University, but as (...)

We in the afrobeat family; remember today like every other day Segun Damisa, founder of the Bordeaux based group Afrobeat Crusaders, who died of generalised cancer July 17, 2006 in France. Before we digest Segun Damisa’s wise take on the Nigerian situation a decade plus ago, our thoughts on this (...)

Pardon me folks to revisit this seemingly closed discussion about who is in the picture with Sandra Izsadore, the role of Fela’s cousin Fola in Kalakuta, and Banjoko’s claim that Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was mentally unstable at this time, etc. If I revisit the debate I am doing so for two reasons: (...)

Radio Shrine! Gan! Gan!
We remember today like every other day Segun Damisa, leader of the defunct Abuja based afrobeat group Alkebu-lan, and founder of the Bordeaux based group Afrobeat Crusaders who died of generalised cancer July 17, 2006 in France. Our thoughts on this day like every other (...)

Radio Shrine! Gan! Gan!
Fela once said to me in 1976: “ID, if you don’t blow your trumpet who on earth will blow it for you!” He made the comment following an article I wrote with inputs from Lemi and Duro my co-members of YAP Care-Taker Committee, published in our newsletter YAP News titled: (...)

Radio Shrine ! Gan ! Gan !
This is a quiz for all members of our afrobeat family out there:
Who is the kidnapped smiling lady with the crutch?
Who is her smiling, hooded kidnapper?
Where did the kidnapping take place?
How was she rescued from her kidnappers?
Can anyone (...)

Chez Alriq, a suburban bar/café reputed for its open air live music and restaurant in Bordeaux France was home to another week-end of Afrobeat music the 16 & 17 July 2010 in homage to Segun Damisa (1964-2006).
Segun former leader of the defunct afrobeat group Alkebu-lan based in Abuja (...)

Femi Anikulapo-Kuti can aptly be described in Yoruba language as ‘Omo d’agba tan’ – which literally means: ‘a child has come of age’ or ‘a child has attained adulthood’.
Considering that at almost 49 years of age (born 16th June 1962), he can no longer be considered as a child. However, the (...)